The present disclosure relates generally to cable camera systems and methods for their use. In particular, cable camera systems that use lightweight, easy-loading, and affordable modular components are described.
Capturing compelling video with video cameras is a hobby for some and a profession for others. There are a variety of techniques to create different creative and interesting visual effects. The visual effects can reflect the videographer's artistic vision, provide a thrilling experience to people viewing the visual effect, and convey information, including advertising information, more effectively.
One videography technique is known as the cable camera technique. The cable camera technique involves suspending a camera from a cable that extends between supports. Often, cable camera systems will include a carriage or cart suspended from the cable on wheels and the camera will be secured to the carriage or cart. When the camera is oriented in line with the cable, the visual effect created is a sensation of fast, first person motion as the person viewing the visual effect naturally subsumes the camera's view as his own and sees the scenery around the camera quickly moving relative to the camera. When the camera is oriented transverse to the cable, typically on a subject moving parallel to the cable at the same speed the camera is moving down the cable, the visual effect created is a steady view of the subject and a sensation of speed as the scenery moves past the subject.
Professional cable camera systems include parallel laid cables with a large carriage or cart that is motor driven. Operation of the camera and the cart is carried out remotely, often by multiple operators. Alternatively, hobbyist cable camera systems require that cable be extended between supports in a declined orientation. When the camera released, it moves down the cable under the force of gravity with little to no control over orientation and speed of the cart after the camera is released.
Existing professional motion picture cameras and cable camera setups are expensive, in the range of thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. In addition to being expensive, the camera systems used by movie companies have complex cable camera systems that are very robust and require actual cable, such as Kevlar fiber optic cables capable of supporting up to 272 Kg, to support them. The expense and complexity of conventional professional cable camera systems puts them out of reach for most hobbyist videographers.
Existing hobbyist cable camera systems are often homemade and do not provide smooth and predictable capturing of motion picture or videos of moving objects or the view from a moving object. Additionally, the gravity driven method for camera movement gives the videographer little control over the speed of the car and direction of the camera, and does not allow change of speed of the car or direction of the camera during operation. Thus, hobbyist cameras provide only a fraction of the possible artistic video capture effects that a professional system provides.
Further, both conventional professional and hobbyist cable camera systems are not convenient to deploy. For example, conventional cable camera systems include heavy components. If a string or finer gauge cable were used with these existing cable cams, the cams would not be structurally sound. Furthermore, known cable camera systems typically include a cart with a closed circle frame design, which includes two lateral supports. The closed circle frame design requires that a user take off the wheels of the car to position the cable underneath the wheels or thread the cable through the car, neither of which are convenient to do when in the field.
Thus, there exists a need for cable camera systems that improve upon and advance the design of known cable camera systems. Examples of new and useful cable camera systems and methods relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.